[ P ] first time for everything

The College’s mint was, quite possibly, the best Grigori has tried so far. Its refreshing coolness was deeper, almost sweet in an odd way, and the taste lasted longer than he was used to. It was definitely yet another substantial perk of living in this area, though also a bit of a concern.. frankly, he was worried if the herbal gardens will endure his presence. The blonde male was a bit of a scourge, sometimes eradicating mint entirely during longer stays in less fertile places. Here, at least, mint wasn’t uncommon by any means, but he’d still hate to draw attention by making a noticeable impact on its quantity. Still, it was something he could worry about later; there were more pressing concerns at hand.

The original plan was to find a good opportunity to fight criminals and other wolves of ill-repute, then worry about a place to stay at later. Aryth has derailed that completely by offering him a place in what possibly was Rionnach’s most peaceful and welcoming area. Of course, it didn’t have to be permanent, but.. for the first time in a while, Grigori wasn’t completely sure about what he wanted to do anymore. He still believed vigilantism was beneficial, but does it make anyone happier? The idea of helping others never appealed to him much before. Yet who can say if the young professor opened his eyes to something new, or was merely an exception?

All this uncertainty was consuming most of his time lately, and a resolution was nowhere in sight. That being said, at least Grigori was aware he didn’t know enough – be it to carry out his original plan, or to opt for something else. There were things he wanted to ask the last time but got too distracted for, and some new questions born from his exploration of the College. So, naturally, there was only one wolf he could turn to.

Finding his friend’s den was easy enough. Approaching it proved to be difficult. What if Aryth is busy? If he has other guests? Is his fur too disheveled for visiting someone? Worst of all, that time Aryth has mentioned his den was still fresh in his mind. What if a visit after that joke is too personal, even if it’s incidental? What if he wanted it to be personal? No, wait, he wanted to ask questions- By the time he took enough deep breaths to walk straight the last stretch of the road, he must have left a trampled circle in the grass. The den’s entrance was a bit small, clearly not intended for someone of his size. The russet male’s scent was fresh and strong, this time without dandelions to muffle it. He couldn’t help notice how exotic it was, yet also oddly familiar now – it’s like he could catch hints of it everywhere around the Arboretum. He still hasn’t realized it was books, or even found out what books are. Regardless, no sound seemed to be coming from the inside. “Aryth? Are ye home?” he called out, before bowing down and leaning forward so that he could peek inside. It was the most he’d dare without being invited.. not that it helped much. His eyes were still adjusted to the light outside, and for the moment, he couldn’t see much of anything.



„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

It just so happened that as soon as Grigori leaned his head down into the den’s entrance, Aryth poked his head up to greet him. They were met staring face to face, noses quite close as Aryth blinked in genuine surprise. His round, emerald eyes glittered with the pale light of winter, the only movement for a solid second. And then, completely unperturbed, Aryth smiled and bobbed his muzzle in a friendly “come in, come in” gesture. “Grigori!” he chimed, his voice warm and smooth, like a cup of honey-sweet tea steaming by the fireside. “You’ve caught me at a good time. I just finished a chapter.” The russet male backpedaled, giving Grigori room to crawl through the foyer and into the taller, more open space beyond. (Although the cowboy’s ears would still brush against the ceiling, no doubt about that.)


Indeed, Aryth had just been enraptured in one of his more precious tomes—something that caught his eye as he was reorganizing his book collection for winter storage. He knew from a painful (nay, traumatizing) experience as a yearling that moist books didn’t keep well. Even as he was reading, his ears had twitched in anticipation of noises outside his door. He had a feeling someone was nearby, just wanting to say hello, but he had to admit he was grateful it turned out to be Grigori. Maybe a bit of a surprise. Aryth was relieved nonetheless. This was his chance to be a better host, and to get more acquainted with his sassenach friend.


If Grigori came inside, he’d actually find the den quite dry and accommodating. There was a mat of moss near the entrance, where the scholar paused and indicated Grigori should stamp his paws. Further in the circular den, the floor was covered in dried pine needles and dry sweet grass, which Aryth changed out every late autumn in preparation for winter. To one side of the modest space was a cozy nest lined in Aryth’s own fur; on the other, lines of dried herbs filled the air with rich scents. But the most intriguing decor was a series of flat rocks upon which sat hard-covered novels, whose edges were frayed and whose yellowed pages were shielded from dripping dirt by another rock that leaned against the wall like a tent.


“What brings you here today?” Aryth asked pleasantly, stepping around to scoot his current read out of the way with a tender paw.

code by claerie

@Grigori

Thank god that for once he had the reason to mind proper manners, or else he have given his friend a nose-bump. Or a headbutt. Or whatever else.. Nonetheless, it was a little startling to see someone’s head unexpectedly manifest out of the den’s depths; Grigori jerked backwards instinctively, or rather attempted to, as the only actual result was his head colliding abruptly with the ceiling. “Oof.”, followed by a lighthearted chuckle. It didn’t really hurt, merely disorienting him further for a moment, something he actually welcomed – better to appear confused as to how he might position himself in this tight space than to stare dumbfounded into those damned pretty green eyes. “Ahem.. howdy.” Finally, he remembered that a greeting was in order. Better late than never.

He would have tilted his head in confusion as to what a chapter might be – some kind of food, perhaps? – but the invitation to come in surprised him even more. However, seeing how far inside the other male could actually retreat, he quickly realized that the den was quite a bit more spacious than the kind he was used to. Curiosity overcame concerns as to how risqué it might be should his assumption be wrong, but following a tight squeeze to get inside, his suspicions were confirmed.

“Huh. This is.. nice.” In his prior experience, most dens weren’t much more than a place to sleep, only big enough to house a wolf comfortably.. or two. Couples with large litters expanded them more than that, perhaps, but that’s something he never had to worry about. In contrast, Aryth’s den was very much a personal space, maintained with obvious care. The moss mat he would never have guessed what it was for had it not been demonstrated, and while it struck him as odd, he obliged without compliant. Considering how clean everything was further in, it clearly served a purpose.

It wasn’t until Aryth asked that he stopped gawking and remembered he came here for a reason. “I forgot to ask somethin’ the last time.” Grigori sidestepped to a corner near the entrance, where there didn’t appear to be anything that he could break with clumsy bumping, before he lowered his rear to a sit. The padded floor was softer than he expected. “How do ye keep order with so many wolves around? And recently I’ve been wonderin’ about somethin’ else, too.” He pointed with his muzzle to the object that Aryth had just pushed aside. “What’s that? Everyone ‘round here is starin’ at these things all focused-like.” Considering how many of them the professor had lined up in his den, as if they were put on display, he couldn’t have chosen a better person to ask.


„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

Aryth flicked his tail dismissively at Grigori’s compliment, but he smiled nonetheless. “Posh. Thank you. It serves me well enough.” The scholar supposed it was quite different from the dens in a desert. But as many questions as Aryth craved to ask, Grigori had plenty himself. Aryth was eager to answer, and he watched with quiet anticipation as the outlander found a seat. His eyes drifted over his companion’s muscular limbs before he realized what he was doing and returned his gaze to Grigori’s facade. But then the questions focused him, and his lips parted in faint surprise. He hadn’t expected those types of questions. After all, he’d never spent so much time with a sassenach before.


“Well,” Aryth started, sitting comfortably across from his friend. “Keeping order isn’t really a concern in the Arboretum. Everyone here wants to study, and we often keep to ourselves unless it’s time for class. But if you mean Rionnach as a whole…” Aryth cleared his throat. “King Adamh has an entire army for that.” The implications of Grigori’s question were intriguing. What was the social hierarchy like in his homeland? Had Grigori ever been expected to “keep order?” He yearned to discover more, but then he remembered the cowboy’s second question and it ruffled him.


He blinked, looking from the book to Grigori. “Are you telling me you’ve never seen a book before?” Aryth’s eyes popped wide. Then he shook his head. “I’m sorry, I just never realized… Some wolves take them for granted but I don’t think I realized they were rare outside of Rionnach.” Suddenly, Aryth’s ears flattened to his skull and he looked sheepish. “Or...are you pulling my leg?”

code by claerie

@Grigori

Grigori took in a deeper breath, about to mention that he didn’t mean the College specifically, but in the end Aryth beat him to it. So he exhaled without a word, thoughtful focus apparent on his muzzle. A king and an army.. yes, he could have expected as much. That wasn’t all that different from his homeland, although it never really mattered much at his settlement – it was just too remote, too distant from the seat of power. He could easily guess the scale of it was incomparable – much like it was the case with everything else in Rionnach. How one wolf could come to command such a large following, the cowboy couldn’t fathom. And in the end, it mattered little to him. He was just a lone outlander, and his time was better spent on worrying about things that affected him directly. “What do ye think about ‘em?” His question showed clear purpose, lacking the slight hesitation that’s characteristic of idle curiosity. Indeed, it related directly to something that he had to know about this land.

Law, order, and a force to uphold them. A noble purpose, in theory.. if only the truth wasn’t much uglier than that so often. Yet, seeing Rionnach, how amazing it was – it was all too easy to hope that it might be somehow different. No matter how foolishly naïve he knew that to be.

The russet male’s disbelief took him a little off guard. Not to say it offended him, but it was difficult not to feel embarrassed when his lack of knowledge was exposed so pointedly. “A book.. naw.” Grigori glanced to the side, making a chewing motion with his jaws out of habit, even though he had no mint to chew on at the moment – as he came here specifically to talk, he thought it might get in the way a bit too much. “I dunno.” he shrugged, perhaps just a tad dismissively. Maybe they’re just rare in the part of the world he’s from? Or maybe he just had a knack for avoiding them up until now. Who can say? He certainly couldn’t.

The question drew his gaze back to the smaller male. His expression was.. unexpectedly cute. Suddenly, Grigori found himself to be laughing heartily. Possibly a little rude, but there was nothing malicious about it, merely warm amusement mixed with fondness. Ah, if only tension could always melt away this easily. “With the face yer makin’, I might try doin’ so in the future!” Something he’ll have to remember, indeed. He sighed, reigning his amusement in as he relaxed into his seat more. “But naw. And even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t be makin’ myself look clueless for it. It’s.. hard, to not know stuff that’s obvious to everyone else, y’know?” His smile turned a bit tentative as he finally admitted to his embarrassment.. but he knew he could trust Aryth with it. Quite the paradox, considering the young scholar was the only wolf around he truly wanted to think highly of him. “I'd rather be tryin' to impress ye with my strength, anyway.” He tried to veil the truth in jest, but.. he couldn’t stop himself from peering into Aryth’s emerald eyes, perhaps a tad too long to sell it convincingly.



„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

Grigori’s question about the army was direct, focused. He genuinely wanted Aryth’s opinion. It struck the scholar in the gut (but not necessarily in a bad way). No one had ever asked for his personal opinions on anything aside from medical theories (a topic on which he wasn’t even an expert). But he wasn’t an expert in politics either. Aryth could have brushed away the question with a shrug, and yet… His eyes met Grigori’s and he swallowed. “I...have wondered about that lately. There are…” The russet male cleared his throat. “...concerns that King Adamh is inexperienced, frivolous. I was loyal to Queen Aileen, who ruled before him. But I decided to attend the Winter Ball he’s hosting in order to make a fair judgment.” Suddenly, Aryth’s once sparkling, brilliant eyes grew dark. “The King’s army recently stamped out a rebellion of loyalists to Queen Aileen and her son Jacob. Their methods were bloody.”


And I could do nothing.


A shiver ran down Aryth’s spine, and he shook himself from his stupor. The conversation turned to light-hearted topics and the shimmer gleaned in the scholar’s gaze once more. “Oh, you’re serious! Well, please make no mistake—not everyone in Rionnach knows how to read. In fact, most wolves don’t. And you already impress me.” A smile tugged at the corners of Aryth’s serious maw. Their eyes met once more and it was as though time froze, and they were two muddled wolves, staring at each other through the veil of some incorporeal pool. Before Aryth realized what he was admitting, he shifted on his weight and said, “I was, er, actually invited by the King to read poetry at the banquet. Would you come with me? It would be the perfect opportunity for you to see Castle Stuart up close and learn more about Rionnach’s culture.”

code by claerie

@Grigori

Inexperienced and frivolous.. truth be told, that wasn’t nearly as bad as Grigori expected. “There are worse things to be than that.” he offered, tilting his head to the side a little. And yet, the blonde male wasn’t exactly relieved. Even a good ruler can’t be perfect. A single injustice committed by someone with so much power can be much more far-reaching in consequences than a petty criminal’s entire life. And people in power always commit injustices – they are too afraid of losing what they have. As if to confirm his line of thought, the other male mentioned a recent rebellion, causing Grigori to frown. He could only assume wolves have died for it.. is it really worth it? Yet, without someone in charge, could Rionnach ever be so prosperous? He had no love for law, it’s lack of flexibility and tendency to be abused. But no lawless land he’d been to has ever been better. Seeking answers only led to more uncertainty, and it was starting to give him a headache. He wasn’t cut out for dealing with such ambiguous matters. If only there was a way for him to make his livelihood without getting too involved in it, right? So ironic that he couldn’t be closer to one, yet he didn’t even realize it yet.

The lighthearted topic of books was far more preferable, even with the embarrassment that came with his lack of knowledge. But even that quickly feel to the wayside, as Aryth answered his jest warmly and, as far as the cowboy could tell, completely earnestly. The compliment – it was one, right? – made him grin like an idiot. The blonde male became keenly aware of the limited space between them, sheltered from outside eyes. He wanted to lean in, closer to that magnetic green. Feel how soft that richly colored fur is- Scolding himself in thought, Grigori forced himself to look away. This doesn’t necessarily mean he likes you like that, idiot. He lifted his hind leg to scratch himself behind the ear, anchoring his thoughts to that rough sensation on his skin. “Ye, uh, still haven’t said what these book things actually are.” After going through all that, he wanted to at least learn something new.

Ah, how the tables turn. As soon as the scholar mentioned taking him to the ball, he could only snort in amusement. “Pfft, me at a fancy party? Imagine that.” When he actually looked back to Aryth though, it became clear that it was not a joke. “Oh. I mean..” There it is again, that excitement bordering on uncertainty. He knew that you don’t ask just anyone out to such things – yet the other provided perfectly reasonable reasons for him to attend, as if out of nothing but friendly consideration. “Yeah, I’d love to go with ye.” He just couldn’t refuse, no matter the reason behind it. Aryth’s company was too good to pass up on.. and selfish as it was, he hated the thought of someone else taking his place should he refuse. “Is it, uh.. y’know, a –“ Date. The word just wouldn’t pass through his throat, as if weighted down by.. fear. A ridiculous notion, Grigori wasn’t exactly the type to get scared. And yet, the more he valued their friendship, the more he couldn’t risk losing it over physical attraction.. and, in a cruel twist, the harder it was for him to ignore said attraction. “Naw, nevermind. It’s nothing.” He shook his head, before offering the other a smile.


„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

The tension between them, thick and lingering, transformed into jovial electricity. Aryth could feel it, just beneath his skin. The excitement of true friendship. (And, perhaps, something more, not that he was consciously aware of any potential romance.) At first, the professor was so consumed by anticipation that he totally missed Grigori’s comment: he still didn’t know what books were. Aryth’s shimmering eyes were rapt on his companion’s roguish features. He thinks I’m joking again, he realized, and he smirked wryly, waiting for Grigori to realize that he was serious. In Aryth’s mind, there was no reason Grigori should refuse such an invitation.


Aryth did not, in fact, know it was a date.


He wasn’t daft enough to miss the unspoken, blossoming thing between them, but he wasn’t socially experienced enough to know that invitations to balls were strictly amorous. His brow furrowed for a moment, ears twitching at the hesitation in Grigori’s tone. But it was brushed away and his invitation was officially accepted. Once more, Aryth’s smile brightened, and he nodded curtly. “Excellent! You know, I may need a bodyguard anyway. I’ll be fighting off fans after my performance, after all.” The scholar laughed awkwardly, then cleared his throat and shook his head. “Just kidding. That was a poor attempt at humor. Now…” Aryth grinned sheepishly and aimed a friendly nudge at Grigori’s shoulder.


As he did, he brushed past his companion to reach for the book he’d slid toward his bed minutes prior. The motion brought he and Grigori even closer together for a moment. Carefully, the professor scooted the tome across the straw-covered floor and motioned for his friend to join him. Seemingly out of nowhere, Aryth grabbed a stick wrapped in a fuzzy leaf and used it to gingerly open the book to a suitable page. “I’ve found that opening some of these books with claws is a recipe for ripped paper. In other words, disaster. But look, look here.” Aryth set the stick down and pointed with his paw: on the vellum was an inscription in strange symbols beneath the colorful image of a rabbit wearing a saddle. On the opposite page was a huge block of the same, strange symbols. “These books contain information from some ancient, unknown sources. They tell all kinds of things: names of stars, addition and subtraction, practical causes of illnesses. We are truly blessed to have this information. And each book tells us something different.” Aryth was brimming with enthusiasm, but his demeanor remained comfortingly calm as he gazed up at Grigori for his reaction.

code by claerie

@Grigori

Oh, that’s right – Grigori got so caught up in the moment that he almost forgot the part about poetry and personal invite from the king. That sounded like a really big deal, as far as he could tell. Aryth really was full of surprises, as if determined to continuously awe him with how much a keen mind could accomplish. To think that during the initial moments of their first meeting, Grigori rashly wondered what use the scholar was, lacking physical proficiency of any kind. He’d never been more willing to acknowledge how wrong he was, and glad that he never spoke those thoughts out loud. “Implyin’ I wouldn’t be one of them? Bold of ye.” The cowboy raised a brow and smirked, playing along with the joke even as it was dismissed. He could be smooth, not often, but.. sometimes. However, he found himself somewhat conflicted over that hypothetical scenario. He’d hate to deny his friend well-earned attention and recognition, yet.. he wasn’t keen on sharing. Maybe one day, should he feel particularly bold, he’ll ask Aryth for a poem meant for his ears alone.. even though he was no king, so the request won’t be nearly as big of a deal.

The other’s nudge pulled him from thought, catching him by surprise so much that he almost jumped. The tension lasted but for a split second and he quickly relaxed, noting that tingling feeling on his skin again, just like the time he bumped into Aryth’s side by the river. It’s not that he was touch-starved, Alexei had taken care of that, for better or worse. It wasn’t just a physical reaction, but also an emotional one, a.. sense of belonging, perhaps? Camaraderie wasn’t something he got to enjoy often in his life. No matter what their relationship will end up as, he was grateful for it. Even as the russet male focused on something else, his presence at Grigori’s side lingered. Just a little, he leaned into the touch, trying to keep it subtle and probably failing. The other’s warmth was the only thing on his mind now, comforting like returning home after a long day of work..

It ended all too soon, but Aryth beckoned him to follow to.. right, the book. That’s what they were talking about. Grigori stood up, too eagerly perhaps, as his head smashed into the ceiling. The impact seemed to shake the den’s walls, but his thick skull wasn’t particularly affected. He smiled apologetically, silently wishing that he’d stop making a fool of himself at every turn – but how could he help the fact that Aryth’s presence seemed to make him forget even something as obvious as his surroundings?

He stepped to the smaller wolf’s side, leaning down to look curiously at the book. It was unimpressive at a glance, so much so that he probably would have overlooked it if he came across it randomly in the wild. Then Aryth opened it, and the illustration immediately drew his attention. It was full of detail, and aside from the saddle and small size, almost lifelike. Maybe it’s deeper in the book somehow, and that’s why it’s small? “What the..why is there a rabbit?” he leaned even closer, sniffing earnestly to see if it smelled like rabbit. But no, all he got was the same smell that Aryth always carried. That explained some things, at least. His attention shifted from the picture to the wolf beside him, as he intently listened. The stars have names? And.. “Sub-what?” With this delve into the unknown, they’ve come too far for him to pretend he knows every single word. “I swear, if I didn’t know yer smart I’d think yer just makin’ words up now and then.” He chuckled, before shifting his gaze back to the book.

So, they’re full of information.. but how? All he could see was the rabbit and some squiggly symbols. However, after a moment he realized they weren’t random; they repeated later, exactly the same, some much more often than others. Could it be..? “So by knowin’ how to ‘read’, ye meant understandin’ this.. stuff?” he asked, pointing his muzzle at the symbols. “What does this one say?” There was some excitement in his voice as he posed the question, and his eyes lit up with child-like wonder. There are things out there he never dreamed of existing, things that he’d never believe if he heard mere stories instead of seeing them himself. For some time, Grigori has thought that there was nothing left in this life to surprise him anymore, that it was all moments of rest between conflict and struggle and violence – that it’s just what being an adult is. It was reassuring, more than he ever expected, to be proved wrong. And if he was on his own, perhaps such sudden realization that he didn’t know so much would unnerve him.. but having a friend to share the moment with, a friend willing to guide him and explain it all – he was at ease.


„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

If wolves could blush, Aryth would have blushed furiously at Grigori’s compliment. He felt the warmth burgeon across his face, and it was nearly enough to make him recognize the lingering heat of his friend’s touch. But he was too much inside his own head; besides, he was jittery to show Grigori a book. He could do nothing but laugh good-naturedly at Grigori's tiny blunder, laughter rolling from his belly. In many ways, that fire kindled by compliments and glancing caresses continued to burn, simmering in Aryth’s belly as he watched for Grigori’s reaction to the page. The vagabond did not disappoint. Even as those smoky-grey eyes widened, Aryth’s heart pounded jubilantly in his chest. Every innocent question was an injection of pure ecstasy for the learned man. His smile widened, a brilliant flash of white fangs, and he subconsciously leaned closer to Grigori as they both glanced down once again.


“Yes!” he chimed in response, enthusiasm bubbling from the depths of his honey-smooth voice. With energized anxiety, he pressed his shoulder against Grigori suddenly. “Oh, heh, don’t touch the page with your nose please!” He’d chirped it before realizing Grigori was just leaning down to point—not fully touch the vellum, and he cleared his throat once more awkwardly. Reining in his less pleasant quirks, Aryth straightened and hurriedly added, “But yes, excellent observation. As far as I can tell, these symbols are pieces of a forgotten language. But I deciphered it.” There was no brag in his tone. The scholar was merely informing his companion, as matter-of-fact and humble as any member of the College. “That one says ‘door.’ I think this is some sort of religious text. I pulled it out to study when I was working on poetry for the ball.” Aryth’s emerald gaze flickered up at Grigori once more, pausing to make sure he wasn’t alienating his new, favorite student. “The symbols and, um, rabbit are painted on the page. I learned the hard way not to get them wet, or the colors run and it becomes illegible.”


There was a heavy break, and Aryth posed softly, warmly, “Would you...like to learn to read?”

code by claerie

@Grigori